Dr. Laurie Mastrogianis

Mindful

I’m standing in line paying for my groceries. The credit card chip has my transaction moving slowly. The cashier, a young man accustomed to working quickly, complains about the slow pace of these new chips. Mindful of the opportunity to share a different perspective, I told him about discovering the gift of these new credit cards. I share with him that they’re not credit cards, they’re breathing cards. Slower processing time provides a moment, a gift, to slow down, take a deep breath, and relax myself. He smiled and accepted my invitation to catch his breath too. And in that moment of sharing a deep sigh, we celebrated our common desire, regardless of our differences, to overcome the stress of life and enjoy the feeling of comfort that comes when we choose wellness. We also agreed that the busy pace of our lives often results in forgetting the basic need to breathe. For my whole life, before integrating this discovery into my shopping, I used to process all of my credit card transactions at the often impersonal and fast pace set by a hardworking and conscientious cashier. But a practical approach to mental wellness beckons us to slow down in the everyday moments of life–including during the processing of a credit card. I believe that integrating the gift of a deep breath, even better when shared with another, into these everyday encounters is the key to making positive personal and social changes. Now, like credit on a card, I’m reminded to bank even greater well-being with a deep breath, and in so doing, make a mindful investment in my whole life.

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